Ceiling Fans

Choosing a ceiling fan, sizes, features and installation

In summer, one of the best options for beating the heat in style is by adding ceiling fans. Because of recent innovation in their design and operation, there are as many options for ceiling fans as there are types of rooms to put them in. Although the primary reason to use them is to circulate air around a room, you can have one that also complements the room’s design.

How do you determine which ceiling fan is best for your air circulation needs?

There are two critical features to consider, including the size of the fan and the features you want. By determining what your criteria is for those two conditions, you can pick the right fan and get the best one within your budget. Luckily there’s no shortage of fans that match just about any and all criteria.

Ceiling Fan Sizes

Fans come in either 42 or 52-inches wide and have four to five blades that help to circulate air in a room. The amount of air the fan circulates is a function of the blades pitch rather than its size. If your room is 10 x 10 or smaller, consider a smaller size fan (less than 42 inches). However if your room is larger than 13 x 15, then you should choose two or more fans to get proper air circulation throughout the room, as one will not be able to cover the entire square footage of room, leaving one area warmer than the other.

Addtional Features

Fans come with an optional lighting kit as well. You can add a lighting kit at any time to almost any ceiling fan. Some fans are situated very close to a ceiling in the case of low ceiling heights. Others are situated lower, as in vaulted ceilings, with "drop rods." Longer "drop rods" are available for very high ceilings. Although most fans now come with remote controls, you can buy universal remote controls or wall switches to control the fans.

Installing the Fan

For installation, most ceiling fan manufacturers have made it as easy as possible to install ceiling fans yourself. Generally speaking, the directions are intuitively laid out and installation is a snap. It will involve wiring the fan through the ceiling, and sometimes houses and apartments already have a hole where a light is that you can put the fan. Use safety procedures when messing with electrical cables as to avoid electrocuting yourself and be sure to keep your balance if you have a high ceiling and need to stand on a ladder to put up the fan.

Almost all fans are sold with remote controls so you will not need to worry about any extra wiring for turning the lights on separately or for turning the fan blades on, unless you plan to operate the fan with a wall switch instead. When in doubt, consult a qualified electrician.

Ceiling Fans DIYS

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